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Tuesday 17 January 2012

Sherlock, Sherlock, Sherlock

I've always been somewhat addicted to Sherlock Holmes. The stories, I mean. The adaptations have been somewhat hit and miss. I like the TV series with Jeremy Brett, hate the Robert Downey Jr. movies with a passion, and love, love, love Sherlock, the new(ish) version with Benedict Cumberbatch. The second series just ended and I'm already suffering from serious withdrawal symptoms.

But I'm not here just to swoon over handsome detectives and profess undying love for Sir Arthur's original tales. No, I'm going to try and be useful for a change. 

Sherlock is awesome. It's also an example of great storytelling. Here's how I figure we can absorb the winning formulae-

Be funny. Sherlock may be the star, but John's exasperated expression and his doomed efforts to curb Sherlock's rudeness make for some of the best and funniest moments in the series. Everyone likes a laugh. No matter how grim or dark or tragic a story is, it needs some levity somewhere. You wouldn't call THE HUNGER GAMES light reading, but it has a few laugh-out-loud moments. We, as readers, need a respite. The odd funny line or outright dose of hilarity can turn a good book into a great one.

Make your protagonists loveable. No matter how rude, callous and cold Sherlock is, we love him anyway. Because he's clever. Because his characteristics make us laugh. Because underneath it all he so clearly cares about a few important people in his life. And John has his flaws, but he's steadfast and loyal and oddly sweet. By the time we've spent an hour and a half with them, we love them. 

There's no secret to creating a character every reader will love - and maybe that's not possible - but if you can make your readers love a character so much that he or she can make them laugh and cry, you're already on to a winner.

Be clever. This is hard. Even harder than being funny, because the only thing worse than a writer who is obviously trying and failing to be funny is a writer who is obviously trying and failing to be clever. The brilliance of Sherlock Holmes has been the character's selling point for a hundred years and Sherlock's detective is no different. But it's the cleverness in the actual storytelling that's truly brilliant. A good twist, surprise or neat puzzle can make a book sparkle.

Don't take it too seriously. I have no doubt Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss have a blast every time they sit down to write an episode of Sherlock. Have fun. If you have fun writing it, people will have fun reading it.

And while you're at it, casting Benedict Cumberbatch won't hurt either.

Any other Sherlock fans out there?

10 comments:

  1. great points. I need to start watching that show. I've always loved Sherlock Holmes. And I'm not a big fan of the RDJ version either.

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  2. I grew up loving Sherlock Holmes and could never put it into words the way you just did!

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  3. I enjoy the books - and sorry, I like the Robert Downey Jr. movies as well.

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  4. I totally agree! I like Robert Downey, but not the Sherlock movies. And the series with Benedict Cumberbatch is fabulous.I think the first story I ever read was The Hound of the Baskervilles. My sister and I so liked it that years later we named a dog Basker...

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  6. ve always loved S-lock, but am not a fan of Downey's interpretation either. I'll have to check out the newer series! Thanks for sharing. And you've got a totes awesome blog! Keen to meet you!

    <3 jordan
    JordanDibb.com

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  7. I need to watch that TV show! I saw the first episode, and I loved it. Those are definitely some lovable characters--I used to devour Sherlock Holmes mysteries. :)

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  8. I think I'm the only person who's not watching Sherlock!

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  9. Excellent show - one of the best dramatic on-screen partnerships you will see. Tightly written episodes with great visuals and perfect musical score. Good!

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  10. Agree with you about the movies with Downey Jr :)

    Brett's Holmes was good, though little bit on the obsessive side. Cumberbatch's Holmes is more of a sociopath (as he himself stated in the first episode).

    Have you tried out the Russian adaptation with Vasily Livanov as Sherlock Holmes. This version of Holmes is more in tune with the canon.

    Cheers!

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